Jane McGonigal: Gaming can make a better world (Week 11)

“Gaming can make a better world” – Jane McGonigal 2010

For those of you who don’t know Jane McGonigal she is a game designer research and author in the field of pervasive gaming and alternative reality games (Wikipedia 2011). If you watch her video, your perception on games and it can help solve real life problems of

1. Hunger
2. Poverty
3. Climate Change
4. Global Conflict
5. Obesity

I never thought about the first four example, the last one I knew about, I mean look at the WII Fit and all those other console based exercise games. McGonigal said that something along the lines of ” games make it impossible to feel that we can’t achieve anything” (McGonigal 2010). I want to clarify that what she is saying is that, when we are in gaming mode, we tend to achieve more, we then to be more motivated, as if to say we can achieve anything. And what are society needs to learn from gaming, is that those feelings that we get from playing, the motivation that we get when we are playing games, should be applied in our real world. “In game word  best version of ourselves” (McGonigal 2010). This is why many people dedicate so much of their life to playing games. Have you ever had that feeling, when you play games like World of Warcraft, where you can forget about your problems in the ‘real world’, and be the person you want to be?

‘Epic Win’ is a win so great,so awesome that it is EPIC! Below is a picture of an epic win face! ENJOY!

McGonigal made the point saying that, gaming results in:

1. Blissful Productivity
2. Urgent Optism
3. Social Fabric
4. Epic Meaning

Epic meaning is something that we aim for during our gaming session and we should learn to apply this epic meaning into our real lives. Now having pointed out why games are making the world a better place, I would like to share with you a serious game “games that are used for more serious real-life purposes than pure entertainment.  These games might be used for social change, education, training, or to help people achieve a particular health objective. The game is called Darfur is Dying (DD) in my opinion a world changing game.

Darfur is Dying (2006), is a free based, single player educational or serious game. To play the game the player chooses a Darfurian refugee, who will endeavour to forage for water for their community in the  hot and vicious desert, of Darfur a region of Sudan. Janjaweed militia linger in the area, and if the player is caught, they will either held captive, raped, or worst, killed. Sadly how the game is played is the reality of what happens to the people in Sudan. This game was made to make people aware of the realities and the hardship faced by the Sudanese. The player has a virtual experience of Sudanese refugees reality. As McGonigal said in her video, what we learn and feel and that epic meaning of achieving something is what we need to apply in our real lives. DD is an excellent example of why games are important in our world today.

If you ever play DD you will realise that there is a sense of fellowship in playing this game. This game is what we call co-operative game play. By definition ” fellowship in a gaming experience is fundamentally a gathering of people” (Tresca 2010 pg.5). One can argue that the designers intended to incorporate co-operative game play and experiences, through the process of inviting friend.

Once the player generates social networks, it can lead to online activism, with the help of the technologies and media, they can communicate with other players easier, faster, with more people and most importantly people from across the world; spreading global and and social awareness. This type of game is arguably what could constitute as one of the reasons why McGonigal argues games are making the world a better place. If you don’t have time to play the game on this website <http://www.darfurisdying.com/&gt; You can watch a demo of the game I have inserted here.

There are endless other arguments that we can make about why games are important for society such as exercise for old older people like Dance revolution, that can help with minimising falls for elderly people.

I want to sign off this blog from a quote that Jane McGonigal said in her video that

“ Gamers are a human resource, that we can use to do real-world work, that games are powerful platform for change” (McGonigal 2010).

Reference

1. Jane McGonigal’s site, including some of the videos <http://janemcgonigal.com/>
2. Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_McGonigal&gt;

3. http://www.darfurisdying.com/

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRvX2z601gU

Tweet…..Tweet…..Tweet….and sharing data! (Week 10)

We are living in a data-sharing revolution! As I concluded on my blog on Week 7. Sharing! Why can’t we all just get along and share?

“Chivvied along by the UK’s biggest charity, the Wellcome Trust, science funders from across the industrial world issued a joint statement that essentially said they expect the data generated by studies they fund to be shared. It might not sound scary, but it could change the face of health research” (Pisani 2011). I guess I understand the fear that researchers have when it comes to sharing and distributing their findings, but what they are not taking into consideration is the act of ‘sharing’ in the ‘sharing culture’ is a draw back in the progress for their future findings and getting their name out or the approbation they deserve.

Pissani (2011) points out a negative outcome when researchers rush and patent their result “Duplication, very slow progress and a huge bill” (Pissani 2011). We can all jot down all the advantages and disadvantages of sharing data, but what I want to do in this blog is argue why I think in our society data sharing should not be fought against but should be embraced. It is not only the slow progress or the monetary issues that can result in ‘selfish’ behaviour but arguably, research won’t reach their maximum potential. Pissani (2011) article presents us with negative outcomes of withholding data.

Why is it essential to share data in science and research? Here are a few advantages that I have come up with:

1. Beneficial for Teaching and Learning
2. Awareness and Praise for the researcher
3. Sharing ideas can also generate more ideas or solution
4. Findings can be helpful to avoid future destructions or problems.

In an article ‘The Selfish Gene: Data Sharing and Witholding in Academic Genetics by Eric Campbell and David Blumenthal (2002).

Here they present us with similar ideas of why it is important to share documents the idea that “The free and open sharing of scientific information, data, and materials is a fundamental ideal underlying the social structure of science” (Campbell & Blumenthal 2002).

The following are some of the Importance of Sharing in Science

 

1. First, the prompt and widespread dissemination of data about ongoing research is one of the most efficient ways to alert scientists to the availability and comparative potential of new areas of research.
2. Second, data sharing is essential to maintaining the integrity of science.
3. Data sharing is vital to training the next generation of scientists.
   

It is not only public awareness that is beneficial with sharing data, but also training the future scientist and of mankind. 

When I was watching Grey’s anatomy last week, I saw this episode of doctors Tweeting in the operation room. Here is an excellent example of how sharing data in science and in medical field is beneficial. Tweeting during the operation was informative for current doctors, doctor students and other people interested in the operation. It was real-time and the followers had the ability to question as to why they do the doctor took on that decision.

What do you think about this? Tweeting during operation?

I found this video called ‘Data Sharing confidentiality in Genetic Research Video which presented by Aristides Patrinos – Associate Dir, of Biological and Environmental Research for the U.S Dept of Energy. 

 

 

 

Issues with dealing with data sharing and global and environmental change and global climate change were extremely” important for the success of the endevournotion that you can be successful (2:30)without the sharing the data at international lelve was ludacris” (Patrinos 2008). 

1. ‘The fall and open exchange of data” cross boundaries sharing of data at the cost of data.
2. Some of the data were useful just for scientific interest has not interested private data. Privatisation for profit which is a set back.
3. They could make or break the scientific enterprise. 

What I want to conclude with is that, data sharing should be managed, by allowing the research to be praised when using their ideas and findings. It is essential that researchers feel confident enough to share their ideas and be praised for it. Where would we be if scientist kept all the information to themselves, there will be no cure, no way of understanding ourselves, our movements our own understanding and frameworks. 

 

References:

1. Pisani, Elizabeth (2011) ‘Medical science will benefit from the research of crowds’, The Guardian, January 11, <http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/11/medical-research-data-sharing>

2. Campbell E, & Blumenthal, D (2002), ‘ The Selfish Gene: Data Sharing and Witholding in Academic Genetics’,  Journal Science, <http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2002_05_31/noDOI.5822398718525511595

3.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sHlQ8a1prw

Week Twelve—But is it Art?”—the new dynamism of art

What is Art? Is it a painting? or a drawing? a movie? a song? Art is everywhere, and with new media technologies, there are amazing art works that are well beyond what my mind could ever imagine.

New  media art is a “genre that encompasses artwork created with new media technologies, including digital art, computer graphics, computer animation” (Wikipedia 2011).  This weeks topic is the most interesting and the most engaging of all the topics we studied in ARTS3091.

When I looked at the article by Keith Armstrong ‘Intimate Transactions: The Evolution of an Ecoophical Network Practise I was introduced to a new media art experience called the  Intimate Transactions. Intimate Transaction is an ” immersive, interactive installation unlike any other, members of the public can experience Intimate transactions” (Armstrong 2006). In a sense it’s a co-operative art making between two people who have never met and are thousands of kilometres away. It really is quiet unique and engaging,  how technology have been developed to detect a users movement and shift in body weight and translate that into a new type of art.

Intimate Transaction uses a physical interface called Bodyshelf, which has sensors (for detecting body movement), which enable them to sense vibration of different frequencies and intensities (Armstrong 2006). In this type of art, users have the ability to develop intimacy with a person that they have never met before.

 

Focusing on the idea of creating an intimate transaction and developing intimate experiences with someone else is very interesting. Something that I would like to have a look at more in depth with my research essay on how Augmented reality in experiencing porn is in itself a new for of art.

With the use of new media technologies and art, there is also a question of what is art? How do you determine that this is art? I ask this question because I would like to introduce you to ‘Bodies the Exhibition’. Warning! This artwork uses real human bodies, please do not watch the video if you do not feel comfortable.

‘Bodies the Exhibition‘ “ is a controversial exhibition showcasing preserved human bodies dissected to display bodily systems” (Wikipedia 2011). It is created by Gunther von Hagens’ “a controversial German anatomist who invented the technique for preserving biological tissue specimens called plastination” (Wikipedia 2011). Many people don’t see his work as a type of art, a way into showing people how we are on the inside. Through media we can see how there is a sense of ‘fear’ in this type of art, that at some places this exhibition is banned.

Some people might think now how is the Bodies Exhibition art? I mean how is it not art? This for me is arguably a new dynamism of art, what von Hagen is showing us in the way he has displayed and plasticined  his corpse, in beautiful and elegant way.

Von Hagens sees himself on a global mission to end the elitism of the medical profession which, he believes, has denied the lay public access to a better understanding of their own bodies. He hankers after the heady days of the renaissance and the three centuries thereafter, when anatomists and artists explored the workings of the human body as never before and made their workings public at anatomical theatres (Jeffries 2002).

There are many other examples of new art, take a look at how this company has transformed the graphic tablet. A graphic tablet is a computer input device that allows one to hand-draw images and graphics, similar to the way one draws images with a pencil and paper (Wikipedia 2011).

Take a look at the  Handsketch “ is a new musical instrument composed of a WACOM tablet, a series of pressure sensors, and a Max/MSP software library for synthesising singing speech in real time” (Numedia Art 2011) . It is a great example how new art is delivered to the audience and to the player. It has combined the concept of the graphic tablet as a way to mimic the movement of pencil to paper, in creating art. It has combined the initial capabilities of the tablet to creating new type of music. From watching the video it shows us the new way to deliver music to the contemporary audience.

http://player.vimeo.com/video/20461414?

New art is certainly different and we can see in all the examples which are Intimate Transactions, the Bodies Exhibition, The Handsketch. They  take the viewer on an intellectual, emotional and artistic journey, that would not have been viable, prior to the introduction of new media technologies. New art is definitely changing art culture, the delivery of art, the feeling of art, nothing seems to be far fetch in creating new art.

Thank you very much, I hope that you like my blogs and my final blogs. Im sorry if I don’t make sense sometime, I am very bad at English. Thank you again.

Joane

 

References

1. Armstrong, Keith (2005) ‘Intimate Transactions: The Evolution of an Ecosophical Networked Practice’, the Fibreculture Journal 7, <http://seven.fibreculturejournal.org/fcj-047-intimate-transactions-the-evolution-of-an-ecosophical-networked-practice/>

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodies:_The_Exhibition

3. http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2002/mar/19/arts.highereducation

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTlETfpBCi0

5. http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/

6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_tablet

7. http://www.numediart.org/

 

 

 

Week Seven—Framing versus ‘transversality”: Is Piracy Really Killing the Music Industry?

Is Piracy Really Killing the Music Industry?

For me it’s sharing not stealing! What do you think? There really is a cultural gap between music industry and the downloader. Sharing music is arguably  a technical innovation and that people like me and other downloaders have adapted to this innovation. This proliferation of downloading culture, and access to music content is a battle that the music industry will not beat. 

I want to first start by saying that I am in no way promoting illegal downloading or file sharing. This weeks topic is on Framing versus “Transversality”, I will concentrate on this two topics in terms of music and piracy.

Framing was described by Andrew Murphie as ‘belief, attitudes, values and mental models, that we use to identify or understand a situation.

Transversality “Simply put a transversal is a line that cuts across other lines, perhaps across entire fields – bringing the fields together in a new way, recreating fields as something else” (Murphie 2006). Therefore, in correlation with our lecture today, Murphie argues that framing and transversality are interdependent.

Have you ever downloaded any file illegally? Come on tell the truth! I’m pretty sure everyone has downloaded something illegally at least once in their life. This weeks reading served one of the most ongoing issues surrounding the today’s music industry; which is Music Piracy.

The reading ‘Music Piracy war: are the big labels wasting their time? By Asher Moses, look at the issues and the possible solutions that the music industry have tried to do to overcome music piracy. Honestly, they are just wasting their time! This consistent need to frame music is a Loop system. We live in a networked society, where it is normal to share files, share our thoughts,comments, our very essence. Just like McLuhan argues the basic premise is that all technologies are extension of human capacities. Tools and implements are extensions of manual skills; the computer is an extension of the brain (Murphie and Potts 2003), it would be very hard to alter this downloading habit, as it is extension of ourselves.

If  you take into account Lawrence Lessig activist. He is best known as a proponent of reduced legal restrictions on copyright, trademark, and radio frequency spectrum, particularly in technology applications (Wikipedia 2011). In a way music industry is framing our creativity! Lessig can arguably be seen as a pioneer for transversality.

We live in a remix culture, where we take an idea and make it our own. Music is the same, we take that art and listen to it. It becomes an extension of ourselves. Not everyone can pay for albums, everything our favourite artist introduces it to the market, I certainly couldn’t afford that. Just because we don’t pay for the music, doesn’t mean the artist looses money, what they miss is that they are gaining more fans. They are gaining more viewership and followers.

Colin Jacobs, chair of the online users’ lobby group Electronic Frontiers Australia, said “evolving their business to fit the times, not illegal downloading, was the problem the music industry needed to focus on” (Moses 2003). Jacobs makes a valid point, instead of changing or trying to change the downloading habits of our society, which obviously has failed to come up with a valid approach or solution, they should simply adapt or work around the problem. It is inevitable that downloading and sharing will influx in the future, and it will not only be downloading movies, or music it will extend to other art and ideas. The access to internet is so easy, a kid can download without even realising it, to stop this is simply impossible, unless they want to cancel the internet itself. “ Music is the universal language of mankind” (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow), breaking the contemporary restraints and frames is the only solution to this ongoing issue of music piracy. Instead of showing pointless piracy advertisement that are ineffective and is basically seen as a joke (take a look at this parody), I can’t stress enough that transversality is the modern movement and the right one at that. 

Jacobs again made another valid point that “the digital revolution offers phenomenal opportunities for distribution and promotion, and the industry is leaving these opportunities on the table”(Moses 2003). Music industry needs to break from the ‘frames’ that are holding them back. As Murphie argues “ transversality is the unavoidable discipline we must follow in new media studies” (Murphie 2006). Transversality is arguably essential for today’s music industry, as mentioned earlier, it is recreating fields into something else. Instead of music industry trying to control and punish illegal downloader, why not adapt to contemporary downloading habits of today’s users? Wouldn’t it be a win- win situation? 

Music industries need to break free from the frame that structure or enclose the music industry. Industry should use the ‘habit’s instead of seeing it as an disadvantage, use it as a positive for boosting business, ‘INVOLVE THE HABIT’. We live in a data-sharing revolution.

I want to leave you with the question from earlier, ‘Do you think downloading music is sharing or stealing?

Murphie, Andrew and Potts, John (2003) ‘Theoretical Frameworks’ in Culture and Technology London: Palgrave Macmillan: 11-38

Murphie, Andrew (2006) ‘Editorial’, [on transversality], the Fibreculture Journal, 9 <http://nine.fibreculturejournal.org/>

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/music-piracy-war-are-the-big-labels-wasting-their-time-20110328-1ccrl.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALZZx1xmAzg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXwB9FlkNXA

Week 6

Shimmering is defined as “to shine with a tremulous or intermittent light” (ThinkExist 2010).

In this weeks reading by Paul Edwards titled ‘Introduction’ in A Vast Machine: Computer Models, Climate Data, and the Politics of Global Warming’ ; Edwards altered the meaning of shimmering for me forever. He defined shimmering as term for “reverberation of data images… an ever-expanding collection of global data images that will keep on growing, but never resolve into a single definitive record” (Edwards 2010). This argument reminded me of the ad for ‘Ancestry.com’, that shows a woman searching for family data and history. It shows how one little leaf (search) can lead to other leaves with different family members and data. Here is a video have a look

“Without models, there are no data”… no collection of signals or observations …becomes global in time and space without first passing through a series of data models” (Edwards 2010 pg.xiv). So no model = no data? In my understanding he is trying to say that without media there is no data? Does that mean no matches no fire? I am no academic, but in a way I disagree, data like history, has always been there. It is the development of different technologies and mediums that alter and change the meaning of the data. Global data images continually grows, therefore our perspectives of the past will keep changing. The debate on the “ models vs data” is still present, and like shimmering, there will always be a response or argument, and there will be not one definitive side.

 

Edwards constantly emphasises the importance of modelling and how it outpaced empirically based knowledge of the global climate (Edwards 2010 pg.xvi). Modelling is verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory of pure logic.

The second source we had to study was a screencast by Howard Rheingold.

He coined the term “Infotention which describe a mind-machine combination of brain-powered attention skills and computer-powered information filters” (Howard Rheinghold). He’s website was interesting and very helpful. I will certainly use his website for my future research and research skills. He’s first screencast explains the use of tools such as Dash boards, news radars and information filters for understanding and handling information. Just like Edwards reading, they both look at the importance of using models to interpret, organise, gather and document data.

In today’s highly technological and advanced society, it is important to posses more than one literacy. Rheinghold, emphasises this in his video, that with the overwhelming influx of media, one needs to have the literacy skills to understand and keep up with the information. He then goes on to say that Literacy is broken down into two components the skill and the social components. The internet is arguably a model that posses many data, people like me (student) need to stay alert when it comes to understanding necessary information, how to block information and what information to let in. This is why I found Rheinghold’s videos to be very helpful and I kept on watching.

Crap Detection as Rheinghold mention is an important skill to posses especially in today’s society. Media, as wonderful as it is, is full of data that are ‘crap’ or useless for us. If you look at this video of Rheinghold titled ‘The Infotention Part Three: Building Dashboard, Radars, Filter.

He provides a frame work of procedures for finding, filtering, prioritising and tuning information on one topic area. This was specially helpful as my idea for our final assignment deals with the use of augmented reality by the porn industry. He starts by telling you to create

1. New tab on net vibes.
2. Find source (ordinary search) (google search )
3. Finding feeds RSS , clicking on browser add on) eg. Delicious, look at the number of people that bookmark, find the one that suits you, they might give fresh information
4. Arrange and layout data to your own preferences, with your own parameters.
5. google advance with the pharse – see thousand news and rss feeds) .

Both readings, gave an insight into how data is organised and used to make meaning. But I am left here thinking, I don’t agree with Edwards when he says “ Without models, there are no data” What do you think?

References:

1. http://thinkexist.com/dictionary/meaning/shimmer/
2. Edwards, Paul N. (2010) ‘Introduction’ in A Vast Machine: Computer Models, Climate Data, and the Politics of Global Warming Cambridge, MA: MIT Press: xiii-xvii
3. Rheingold, Howard (2011) ‘A mini-course on infotention’ <http://howardrheingold.posterous.com/a-mini-course-on-infotention> (Howard Rheingold is literally one of the pioneers of the web, one of its more generous people, and a great educator).

Follow me? or Follower?

This entry is basically asking you, in today’s society are you someone who says follow me? Or are you the follower? The shepherd or the sheep? In today’s readings I came across two words, that scared the crap out of me. Technological Determinism and Cultural Materialism. For those of you who don’t know what it means, here are a couple of definitions for you, that i’ve taken from my lecturer’s favourite site Wikipedia. As he says “ it is a wonderful resource and we use it too!”. Moving on….

“Technological determinism is a reductionist theory that presumes that a society’s technology drives the development of its social structure and cultural values”(Wikipedia 2011). Basically what it’s trying to say is that society ‘conform’ or ‘adapt’ itself to the technologies that man creates. For example, with facebook, I only joint that because my friends were on it, and that if I didn’t have it, I’m some sort of outcast? It’s a new age ‘peer pressure’ I say. Therefore I am a sheep in this scenario. BAA!

“Cultural materialism argues for what is referred to as the principle of probabilistic infrastructural determinism. The essence of its materialist approach is that the infrastructure is in almost all circumstances the most significant force behind the evolution of a culture” (Wikipedia 2011). I think that it means that culture is a productive process or system that requires certain technologies to be created to fulfil its needs. Let’s look at facebook again. Facebook was created to adapt to the way society communicates, and to accommodate the I NEED TO KNOW ASAP ! society. Which reminds me of a memorable quote from Click (2006) “Michael, our clients are Japanese. They can’t wait for their fish to cook” (I’m not trying to be racist, I thought if fits the context). For my Japanese friends (sorry – ごめんなさい).

One can argue that, writing email, is just not the same as writing your friend a message on their profile or private message. I mean, it’s so similar right? Just like posting on their profile, you need to have a computer, or phone or notebook etc, that can send digital text. Is it not the same? I mean I know it’s the same.

If we look at the work of theorist Marc Prensky who is coined the term digital native (native speakers of society) and digital immigrants (not born into the digital world), I think it would give us a better understanding of how media and technology affect and needs to alter for our society. Though he’s work focuses more on learning and education, it ties in with a lot of what we need to understand about media, media ecologies, culture, etc. His work ties in a lot with cultural materialism, and how, society should adapt to the change.

“Educators have slid into the 21^st Century- and into the digital –age- still doing a great many things the old way. It’s time for education leaders to raise their heads above the daily grind and observe the new landscape that’s emerging…Times have changed. So, too, have the students, the tools and the requisite skills and knowledge” (Prensky 2005pg.306)

Now let me ask  you, are you a technological determinist? Or are you a cultural materialist? And why?

Are you a follow me or follower?

My little image that I created for ARTS 3091, it helps me think about my position in society, I just don’t know whether I am a technological determinist, or a cultural materialist.

Jack off the box

Firstly, I want to say that there is no explicit connotation behind this title. It is simply regarding a drawing I did in response to the blog and the readings for this week, with regards to virtual and reality. In my previous blog, i mention that society just needs to know everything asap. Just like the Japanese joke.

Chris Grayson the blogger of ‘Augmented reality’ , wrote an incredible blog about new media technologies that I’ve never even heard of. One of the one that stood out was the LEGO, which shows the kid holding up a box of lego toys, in front of a scanner, and the kid is able to see the built version of the toy on a screen. This enforces once again the need to get the information asap, there seems to be no element of surprise anymore. Here is a defintion of Augmented reality (AR) is  defined as  a ‘live direct or an indirect view of a physical, real-world environment’ whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input, such as sound or graphics.

Here is a video of other types of augmented reality, and just how old it is. It is not a new technology.

Qr codes (Quick Response), was another important thing I learned from Graysons blog. Which inspired me to make my own, as show on the top left of my blog. These codes are transforming the way advertisement and people communicate have a look here.

<—- My very own qr code.

This is a graphic I made, which represents, how I see media and technology, is changing our reality. In a way  as mentioned earlier there is no sense of surprise anymore. Just like the concept of the Jack and the box, you need to spin and spin , it comes up, today, we pretty much have nothing to look forward to because we are like God’s we know what it is, or what’s going to happen before it does happen. For example, if you want to find out what sex your baby is, you pretty much just ask a doctor. Can you imagine, trying to put a surprise party on? They celebrant probably knows, before most of the party attenders know there is a party. With the fast connection and data transfers of internet, facebook, mobile phones, and other technologies, it won’t be that surprising.

Let me ask you this, what really is reality?

 

 

Reference

1. Grayson, Chris (2009) ‘Augmented Reality Overview’, GigantiCo <http://
gigantico.squarespace.com/336554365346/2009/6/23/augmented-realityoverview.
html

 

My Mc Memory

Every time, I see an ad for mc happy meals, I always seem to think back on all the parties I attended when I was a kid (many many years ago). Do you get that feeling? It might not be that long ago for you, but there is always that sense of connection, when I see the maccers sign, most especially mc happy meals. The more I think about it, are mc happy meals suppose to suck us in from a very young age, for us to ‘remember’ the memories we had when we were younger? Sucks us in young, so that as we get older, we keep coming back? Makes me think about it, how that physical entity (happy meal) is an extension of our mind, and our memory. Just think about it!

Moving on, in today’s lecture, Andrew showed us a video of memory and dance ( I will find out what the video is and post it up). During research I found this Australian production called the Memory Progressive.

“The Memory Progressive is a new contemporary dance and multi-media work by young and emerging dance company Phantom Limbs. Central to the work are themes of memory loss, the role of technology in mental reconstruction, and the phenomenon of telepathy. An initial development of the work entitled Ganzfeld Frequency was performed at Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall in October 2009 as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival” (Phantom Limbs 2010)

It made me understand more how, dance is essential in the concept of memory. This dance triggers memories, tells us stories of a particular culture. Here is a video I found. It is like an extension of the mind, of the person’s soul. Like Memory Progressive, this dance can be seen as a preservation of he memory and narrative that that is being danced.

Another aspect of this weeks reading is about perception. If you read my earlier post, ‘Media only shows us the f*ckd up people‘ I mentioned how, what we see are so governed by the media. We see only what they want to show us. Well here is a video called ‘awareness test’. Try this out and tell me what you got.

**** Don’t Cheat and Fast Forward *****

Awareness Test click here!

More to post on this topic, will be tatoos and memory?

 

Media only shows us the f*ckd up people !!!!

I want to start is blog of with a quote from Russell Peters stand up comedy video ‘Red White and Brown’ (2008). If you don’t want to watch it all, start from 1:55. Peters (2008) says something along the lines of “Media is what’s wrong with the world… it perpetuate stereotype of people” “they know how people brains work…they ‘enforce’. His humorous media theory is reflective of what media does and is capable of doing. Media plays such an important role in everyone’s life, that sometimes we get so consumed in all the information and advertisement it throws at us.

Cultural stereotyping is in a sense a social formation,  that provides critical insight into how individuals see themselves, and how other sees them. The tendency to divide the social world into “us” and “them” takes effect, the discourse of ‘stereotyping’ is closely tied with the discourse of ‘othering’. Media is a medium that alienates people and create conflict. I mean I enjoy a lot of parodies and stand up comedy, but for me I feel like the media is depriving us what quality news and information.

Here are other statements that highlight how media perpetuate and put ideas into our heads. Peters (2008) said was that “media presents us with images of different people and quickly an alternate image; they don’t say the image is related”. Nevertheless, it ask you that question of What do you think?

Asian guy,        car accident (What do you think?)

Indian guy       seven eleven (What do you think?)

Arab guy          explosion I knew it!

Are we really just interested in parody and stereotypes? Is that really what we want the media to deliver to us? Is it true that normal is boring? And that we only want to see the crazy? (Peters 2008). It is this issue of media ‘control’ that I want to focus on in this blog. It is the issue of how the current media focuses more on what is entertaining like ‘Charlie Sheen’ scandals and problems rather than focusing on how this has affected his family and life. For me, most especially the quality of news deprives us of what is important, what is happening in our world. The true essences of the news have been lost with the need to increase ratings etc.

“Media shows us the fucked up people” “media only show Arabic people, the Jerry Springer of America” (Peters 2008).  Similarly, we can say that the media has presented globally that Australians are like Kath and Kim.

This is why I am glad SBS is around, and my favourite show ‘Unreported World.

Is the news media really just concerned about ratings and entertainment? Or in my opinion, journalist should just stand up and do their jobs!